1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to surgical instrumentation, ,and more particularly, to a unique surgical apparatus for performing a plurality of surgical tasks during endoscopic and/or laparoscopic surgical procedures.
2. Description of the Related Art
In laparoscopic and endoscopic surgical procedures, a small incision or puncture is made in the patient's body to provide access for a tube or cannula device. Once extended into the patient's body, the cannula allows insertion of various surgical instruments to perform the surgery.
Often, during an endoscopic procedure, it is necessary to perform a plurality of surgical tasks including, for example, retracting organs, grasping body tissue, or clamping blood vessels. In the past, whenever a particular surgical task was required during an endoscopic procedure, an instrument specifically suited for that particular task would be introduced to the surgical site through a cannula device. As a result, these procedures were often time consuming and necessarily required a plurality o surgical instruments, resulting in increased operating costs.
Recently, a laparoscopic surgical instrument having two pairs of independently actuable alligator jaws was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,373 to Ferzli. This instrument has a first pair of jaws at its distal end and a second pair of jaws disposed proximal of the first pair of jaws. Both jaw pairs are adapted to grasp and hold components such as sutures during a surgical procedure. This instrument, however, is limited in its ability to perform two different surgical tasks, such as, for example, retracting organs and grasping tissue.
It is desirable therefore, to provide a surgical apparatus for use in an endoscopic or laparoscopic surgical procedure which is equipped with a plurality of independently actuable surgical tools, each of which is particularly suited to perform a different surgical task.